Getting Rid of Volunteer Trees

We lost several trees to the drought. One Poplar had an extensive root system. We ground out the stump and now we have 100's of volunteers. How do we kill them without killing all the grass? Or do we sacrifice the grass and replant next year?

Getting Rid of Volunteer Trees

Getting Rid of Volunteer Trees

OK, I'm admittedly anti-chemical (used to spray Roundup for a living, did you know it's a neurotoxin?) But you could also do what we do.

We let the little buggers live, even fertilize them. As soon as they are big enough to have an independent root system going, you can dig them up and transplant them, or sell them or give them away. The best way to do that is add the clause "you dig" to your ad.

Fast growing trees like poplar shouldn't take you that long to grow up a bit and you haven't nuked your lawn (or your soil) with anything nasty. Plus, it never hurts to have a few more trees in the yard, or in the world, for that matter. Happy gardening. (07/19/2009)